From the Sector

• Bangladesh’s biggest denim expo takes place 5-6 November
• The show runs concurrently with the Sustainable Apparel Forum Bangladesh
• From 4-6 November, Bangladesh becomes the perfect meeting point for stakeholders in the global apparel industry

DHAKA - Responsibility is the theme of the 11th Bangladesh Denim Expo which takes place on 5th and 6th November at International Convention City in Bashundhara, Dhaka. The event, now firmly established as one of the world’s leading denim trade shows, runs alongside the Bangladesh Sustainable Apparel Forum.

Bangladesh Denim Expo

Around 100 exhibitors from 11 countries, including host Bangladesh, will participate in this year’s denim expo. Other participating countries are china, Japan, Italy, India, Singapore, Brazil, Spain, Pakistan, Turkey and Germany.

H&M Group is collaborating with Bangladesh Denim Expo for the forthcoming 11th edition of the event and a number of guest speakers will be present from the company, including Pierre Borjesson, head of sustainability, global production. Other guest speakers include Andrew Olah, the founder of Kingpins Denim show, Alice Tonello, R&D director with the Tonello Group, world renowned denim designer, Piero Turk and Jordi Juani, Asia regional director with Jeanologia.

Through a series of product displays, presentations, seminar sessions & panel discussions, the Expo will encourage healthy debate and interaction among exhibitors and visitors to champion a more responsible denim industry. One of these, of course, is sustainability and within this sits the issue of responsibility – an overriding theme of this year’s event. Denim manufacture faces huge challenges with regards its social and environmental responsibility, with production techniques having potentially far-reaching ramifications for the environment as well as people involved in the production process.

However, the industry and its supply chain are making impressive progress on these issues with Bangladesh – now the world’s largest producer of denim – leading the way in terms of addressing some of the sustainability challenges relating to denim production, including excessive use of water and chemicals. Mostafiz Uddin is the organiser of Bangladesh Denim Expo. Uddin has watched with interest the evolution of the denim industry, with each Expo marking continued and gradual progress being made by the more progressive players in the industry.

Uddin says: “The way that business and product development is conducted can have far reaching consequences on the environment, on the people that make the product and the product’s end use & life-span. “It is the duty of all stakeholders in the apparel industry to acknowledge this responsibility and to analyse our business practices, for the benefit of all.” Emphasising the theme of responsibility within Denim Expo is the fact that revenues from the expo support the running and presentation of the Sustainable Apparel Forum.

Sustainable Apparel Forum

The Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) is the biggest annual sustainable apparel event in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) along with Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) as co-organiser will jointly carry out the 2nd edition of the SAF on 5th Nov 2019.

This is the second edition of the Sustainable Apparel Forum, with the first-ever forum held in 2017 in Dhaka. The objective of this year’s forum is accelerating the momentum of sustainability in Bangladesh apparel industry.

The forum will see more than 50 speakers gathered from Bangladesh and overseas sharing expert opinions across five panel discussions covering current issues in the country’s apparel industry. These include human resources, transparency in business, water conservation, purchasing practices, sustainable chemical management, waste management, circular economy in textiles and climate change to name a few.

Additionally, the conference will host several knowledge building technical presentations from renowned organisations which will cover different issues relating to sustainability, including waste management, protection of the environment and better working conditions.

Speakers at the show include Md. Shahriar Alam, MP, Honourable State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, H. E. Benoit Préfonatine High Commissioner, High Commission of Canada, Bangladesh, and Dr. Rubana Huq President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers’ and Exporters’ Association, Sheikh Fazle Fahim, President, Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Pierre Börjesson, Head of Sustainability – Global Production, H&M Group, Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director, International Labor Organization, Peter McCallister, Executive Director, Ethical Trading Initiative and H.E. Winnie Estrup Petersen Ambassador, Embassy of Denmark, Bangladesh.

Prior to this year’s conference, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh and the Sweden Embassy in Bangladesh will also co-host two roundtable discussion in collaboration with BAE and in association with BGMEA on 4 November, 2019, while H&M, Better Work Bangladesh and C&A Foundation are partners in the event.
The conference will be followed by showcasing different innovative, sustainable & best work practices in RMG manufacturing factories in Bangladesh. Following the discussions, a series of recommendations will be made, and a Sustainability Roadmap for the Bangladesh apparel industry will be formulated.

This year’s SAF promises to be the biggest yet. Added by Mr Mostafiz Uddin in the recent press briefing for the event: “The title for this year’s Sustainable Apparel Forum is enabling sustainability through policy and leadership. The time for talking on sustainability issues is over. It is now time for actions. That’s why the focus of this year’s show is on practical, pragmatic actions the textile industry can adopt to improve its environmental footprint.”

Heimtextil will launch the new 2020/2021 trend season with the general theme “WHERE I BELONG”. For the official Heimtextil Trend Preview, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam director Anne Marie Commandeur  introduced the new design themes. The presentation in the run-up to Heimtextil (7-10 January 2020) took place at the Textile Museum’s Textile Lab in Tilburg, the Netherlands on 11 September 2019 and was streamed worldwide.

This season, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam is responsible for the Trend Book content and Trend Space implementation at the upcoming international trade fair for home and contract textiles. Alongside Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, London-based studio FranklinTill and Danish agency SPOTT trends & business contributed to the 20/21 global forecast for perspective-related interior design. Together with the Heimtextil management team, these Trend Council participants gave insights into future styles during a workshop.

At the annual international Trend Council workshop, identity was an ever-present topic: part of a broader discussion on gender and cultural diversity, on tolerance and curiosity. Today, the self-identification process seems more complex than ever. Identities are now formed through experiences that take place simultaneously, on different levels. Locally, nationally, globally, both online and offline. Identity therefore can consist of many different layers. In fact, individuals can all have multilayered identities.

Heimtextil Trends 20/21 Overview:

MAXIMUM GLAM

Pleasure seekers revel in layering theatrical influences and glamorous showtime aesthetics, forging a fantastic marriage between the crafted and digitally rendered. Textiles show a ‘more is more’ attitude through a mash-up of glam, gradients and spectrums, fake fur, pile and fringe, jacquard weaves and fantastic prints. The flashy, kitsch colour range becomes brutally glam thanks to electric sheen, synthetic shimmer, digital glitch and artful blur. A riot of clashes and rebellion.

PURE SPIRITUAL

Idealists seek perfection and purity, restoring equilibrium by connecting with the uber-natural. They embrace technology for good while shifting between realism and mysticism in pursuit of a personal haven. To address a renewed bond with nature, organic matter, raw materials and pure textiles are selected which show nature’s traces, organic structures and irregularities. Shades are created from the earth and cultured by man. An elemental and pure range reflects the source of their existence.

ACTIVE URBAN

Urban dwellers confront the challenges of the fast paced, shape-shifting, man-made environment by searching for utilitarian, adaptable solutions. They value tech performance while making smart use of  available and renewable resources. Functionality is prioritised, while looking cool and working well remains key. Interior/sportswear hybrid textiles show smooth surfaces and a fun mash-up of graphic textures. The palette shows uniform blue, asphalt grey and caterpillar yellow.

HERITAGE LUX

Preservers of historic legacies treasure sensuousness alongside the uncanny, enlightenment together with darkness, for a whole new immersive experience. This new narrative translates to a love for luxury and splendour, decoration and embellishment. Finding beauty in history and nature through ornamental patterning and alluring surface enhancement. Reflecting on ancient history results in a palette featuring enigmatic blood red, sapphire and a lustrous mother-of-pearl.

MULTI-LOCAL

Hyper-locals go global, celebrating inclusivity over appropriation, honouring traditional craftsmanship and adjusting the world’s gaze to embrace exchange, creative integrity and diverse identities. Indigenous style meets global influences. This is a celebration of crafted and decorative pattern, from tribal and folkloric to geometric and abstract. Textile colours become part of a wider cultural narrative, linked to local community, cultural heritage and private identity.

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Mayer & Cie. (MCT) is premiering the OVJA 1.1 EETT at the industry’s leading trade fair, ITMA. A premium jacquard machine, it is part of the focus on sports of the company’s “Stay a winner: With Mayer & Cie.” presentation in Barcelona. The industry leader developed the OVJA 1.1 EETT especially for the manufacture of shoe uppers now that “fabrics” are in demand for sports and leisure footwear. The OVJA 1.1 EETT comes with double electronics and double transfer technology, which is reflected in an extra variety of patterns and, in particular, in innovative hole structures.

“The OVJA 1.1 EETT is yet another machine in our portfolio with which customers can claim to be on the winning side in keeping with our ITMA slogan ‘Stay a winner: With Mayer & Cie.’,” says Marcus Mayer, Managing Director of Mayer & Cie. in charge of technical development. “The OVJA 1.1 EETT is most definitely a premium machine and the right choice for especially exacting requirements such as multi-coloured spacer fabrics with a 3D effect or a wide range of hole structures.”

Following its successful beginnings in summer 2018 and its expansion in January 2019, TRADE UNION will be developed yet further as a dedicated space for selected brands and agencies.
 
“TRADE UNION is very close to our hearts,” explains SEEK Director Maren Wiebus. “Being able to work together to fill a space with life, interact with customers and products, and tell authentic stories in a laid-back, relaxing atmosphere – this open-minded, collaborative approach is ultra-modern and of the minute in its simplicity. We are all in the same big boat and can consider ourselves lucky that colleagues and customers are and have become friends. Together, we can achieve a lot this way.”

It has always been integral to SEEK’s DNA to continually work with partners and friends to develop new concepts that are perfectly suited to the demands of the market. The carefully curated setting of TRADE UNION, featuring brands such as Eat Dust, Porter-Yoshida & Co and Knickerbocker, is especially popular with the top buyers.
 
Felix Engelmann has supported the concept right from the off through his marketing agency Haptiques, and is full of passion and on board again with the concept this season.
“The TRADE UNION concept really came off for us in January. We worked well with our partners; the vibe was positive and nicely relaxed. I’m expecting the atmosphere in the summer to be just as fantastic and I’m sure it’ll be a good occasion with friends, partners and employees.”
 
In July, buyers can look forward to an expanded portfolio including Red Wing Shoes, a brand from Minnesota. European Marketing Manager Rik van Dijk comments:
“We can't wait to attend the inspiring setting, because our buyers really feel at home there. We need a location where you can take a step back, find a quiet place to sit and talk to everyone. The extra space at the TRADE UNION guarantees this. We’ve only heard good things from friendly brands and we’re really looking forward to the trade show.”

First showing of game-changing technology at a European tradeshow includes the recently launched Kornit Atlas, Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro and Kornit Presto
Kornit Digital (Nasdaq: KRNT), a worldwide market leader in digital textile printing technology, has announced details of its corporate presence at Fespa 2019 which will take place in Munich, Germany, May 14-17.

Kornit’s exhibit will focus on the game-changing technology that was unveiled in the beginning of the year and will now be on display for the first time in a tradeshow in Europe: the Kornit Atlas and the Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro. The presence will be complemented by a Kornit Storm HD6, a direct-to-fabric sample area featuring prints from Kornit’s upcoming Presto system and an installation of Colorgate’s Textile Production Server for Kornit.

The Kornit Atlas is a heavy-duty system created for super-industrial garment decoration businesses. It is designed to deliver a typical annual production capacity of up to 350,000 impressions, optimizing production efficiency and cost of ownership. The Kornit Atlas is aimed at highly productive garment decorators, mid to large size screen printers and innovative businesses looking to combine state-of-the art technology with lowest cost of ownership, making it easier than ever to address the requirements of leading and mid-sized brands, as well as new generation digital brands. The Kornit Atlas uses water-based Kornit NeoPigmentTM Eco-Rapid Inks which are eco-friendly, GOTS approved and OEKOTX certified, and serve as the main driver of the retail quality prints.

A focus on customer service, aligned with the drive to constantly innovate, has long ensured that the member companies of TMAS – the Swedish texile machinery manufacturers’ association – stay well ahead of the curve.

“All of the Swedish textile machinery companies are doing really well in major markets such as Europe, China, India and the USA,” says TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “They are now gathering forces to prepare for the most important show – ITMA 2019 in Barcelona in June. I expect to see new players and partnerships as we enter the industry 4.0 era for real. We are ready to display an even higher degree of the real time monitoring of processes, automation, flexible customisation, and the incorporation of robots into production lines.  Our customers expect a lot of in terms of knowledge and our ability to customise and offer turnkey solutions.”

The forward-looking attitude of the Swedish companies is perhaps best summed up by Reimar Westerlind, the owner, since 1961, of ACG Gruppen.
At the age of 90, Reimar still travels to his office every day to oversee the operations of the diverse companies operating under the ACG umbrella.
“Everything now is about automation and digitisation,” he says. “We have to be on that track or we will be lost – innovate or die.”

Robotics
One ACG Gruppen company moving rapidly forward with new innovations in this area is ACG Kinna, which at ITMA 2019 will be providing dramatic live demonstrations of its new robotic pillow filling system.
This has the ability to fill and finish some 3,840 pillows per eight-hour shift, which is a considerable improvement on what is currently possible with existing systems, resulting in significant savings in both labour and energy for busy home textile businesses.

At ITMA 2019, Eton will be demonstrating a complete material handling solution with advanced software providing real-time information covering every aspect of the process.
“Our systems are a natural fit with the major Industry 4.0 networked manufacturing plants that are now being constructed worldwide for sectors such as the garment and home textiles manufacturing and automotive industries,” says Eton’s Sales and Commercial Director Roger Ryrlén.

Sensors
Advanced senor developments are playing a large part in moving many areas of the textile industry forward too.
Eltex of Sweden, for example, is achieving considerable success with its yarn fault detection and tension monitoring systems across a range of sectors, including the tufting of carpets, the creeling of woven materials and even the production of woven reinforcements for the composites industry.

At successive ITMA shows, IRO AB has also consistently introduced new milestones in the field of yarn feeding technology for weaving machines, and ITMA 2019 will be no exception.
“Following significant investment in our R&D capabilities, we have been making great progress in further boosting the efficiency and performance of our expanding X3 range,” says IRO AB Managing Director and Chairman of TMAS Mikael Äremann. “I can’t remember a time since the 1980s when we had so many new innovations to unveil at an ITMA, and I’m greatly looking forward to the positive response to them we are anticipating in Barcelona this June.”

Resource savings
ITMA 2019 will meanwhile see the launch of TexCoat G4 – the next generation of Baldwin Technology’s non-contact precision application system for fabric finishing. The TexCoat G4 enables a continuously high-quality and productive textile finishing process with zero chemistry waste and minimised water and energy consumption.
The non-contact spray technology brings a range of advantages including single or double-sided application,  the elimination of Foulard bath contamination, low wet pick-up levels leading to the elimination of drying steps, zero chemistry waste in changeovers of chemistry, colour or fabric, and the possibility of batch reporting, visibility of pad loading, chemical usage etc.

Other TMAS companies exhibiting in Barcelona include Texo AB, whose wide-width weaving looms make the belts for machines on which half of the world’s paper is made, ES-Automatex, which specialises in bespoke automation concepts and Svegea, a company leading the field in a number colarette machines and cutting and slitting equipment.

“At the last ITMA in 2015 in Milan, there was much talk about Industry 4.0 technologies but certainly from the perspective of TMAS, ITMA 2019 will be the place for concrete solutions as to how data and the new tools we have available can be exploited to the full,” says Therese Premler-Andersson. “There is already much more networking between the companies, with software very much the enabler and common interfaces bringing ideas closer together. We are greatly looking forward to further exchanges of ideas when meeting with customers old and new in Barcelona.”

Techtextil 2019: Schoeller launches its new finishing technology called NanoSphere® Plus. The special effect of this new development is its protection against fingerprints and greasy stains. Furthermore, even after being absorbed by the fabric stains are quickly and easily wiped away without washing.

Every human being leaves its marks. In particular, on daily-use items that are picked up or touched often. Especially on textile surfaces, hand and fingerprints in combination with dirt and dust particles leave an unpleasant, greasy dirt film, which is very difficult to clean.

NanoSphere® Plus, developed by Schoeller Technologies AG, the business unit for technologies at Schoeller Textil AG, works on the basis of a functional chain. Textiles are equipped with a matrix finish to reduce the capillary effect in the textile’s fibers. Especially unpleasant sebum residues and dirt that are often released by finger and handprints are less absorbed by the fabric and can be easily wiped away.

Beside the excellent protection against finger and handprints, textiles with NanoSphere® Plus are additionally water and oil repellent, abrasion resistant and extremely durable. The finishing technology rarely affects the look or feel of the fabric.

Non-washable textiles that are often touched by hands or fingers, or fabrics that are in direct contact with the skin benefit most from this new technology. Therefore, NanoSphere® Plus is ideal for woven fabrics and synthetic leather or synthetic suede for bags, covers of electronical devices, head phones, loud speakers or other items in the field of interior equipment.

With over 5,000 tailored installations for a range of industries installed in over 60 countries, Eton Systems, headquartered in Gånghester, Sweden, has established a reputation as a clear leader in the field of complete material handling systems.

At ITMA 2019 in Barcelona from June 20-26th, the company will be demonstrating a complete installation based on a future production concept, with advanced software providing real-time information covering every aspect of the process.

“Our systems are a natural fit with the major Industry 4.0 networked manufacturing plants that are now being constructed worldwide for sectors such as the garment and home textiles manufacturing and automotive industries,” says Eton’s Sales and Commercial Director Roger Ryrlén. “We have had a very busy last 12 months, with more major projects in the pipeline. We understand, however, that one solution does not fit all situations, which is why we think in terms of custom-made solutions matched to specific customer needs. Buying a system from us, is buying a solution and a partnership. Each system includes support, service, training and knowledge built on more than 70 years of experience. When a customer invests in an Eton System the increased efficiency normally results in savings of between 40-60%.”

A typical system consists of overhead conveyors with individually-addressable product carriers which automatically steer their way through programmed operation sequences. They are monitored by a computer providing all the necessary data for optimally measuring and managing processes. The systems are also highly flexible and can be rapidly modified to changes in the production line or the need for expansion.

Options for smart factories
Eton’s Flexible Productivity Concept (FPC) is based on two system platforms with a wide range of options, including:

• Multiple rails for sorting at workstations.
• Buffering
• Automatic loading devices, pick-ups and work delivery robots.
• Bridges and elevators that link systems and floors.
• Historical links to products after completion.
• Module-based software.

Via an addressable product carrier, an Eton system transports all the components of a complete product through the manufacturing process.

Eton Systems will be at stand A214, in Hall 2 at the Barcelona exhibition.

JEC WORLD 2019 closed successfully on Thursday, March 14, after three intense days of innovation, networking and knowledge sharing. "With more than 112 participating countries and 27 national pavilions, JEC World – the place where the world of Composites meets – gathered the key players of the industry and their representatives, as illustrated by the premiere meeting of the global and European industry associations. On top of that, the show highlighted the dynamic ecosystems of composite materials in France, Turkey as well as in the Netherlands, thanks to the special visit in Paris and an active participation of their companies, officials and government bodies,” Adeline Larroque, Show director JEC World explains.
JEC World organizers created special tracks, displays and conference programs dedicated to the specific audience of Aerospace, Automotive and Construction sectors, for everyone to better understand the benefits offered by Composites in these applications.

Composite reinforcement specialist Chomarat will exhibit its latest woven and multiaxial carbon fibre reinforcements at JEC World 2019. "Prepregs are used in the most demanding markets, such as aerospace or the automotive industry. Due to their high performance, Chomarat’s carbon fabrics are highly considered by prepreggers. Compared to standard solutions, the multiaxial reinforcements developed by the group offer Chomarat’s converter customers significant productivity gains. With its production sites in France, Asia and the United States, Chomarat is able to supply its customers and guarantee the same high level of quality in all countries," explains Group Managing Director Michel Cognet.

C-WEAVE™ - THE QUALITY AND RELIABILITY BENCHMARK
In just a few years, prepreggers have come to consider Chomarat's C-WEAVE™ carbon-fibre fabrics as a benchmark for surface-finish quality and processability.
The reinforcement contributes to productivity and reliability during the prepregging process. Helen Doughty, Director at SHD Composites, testifies: “The consistent high quality of C-WEAVE™ has been a key part of SHD Composite Materials continued success and growth.”
"Prepreg users often manufacture Class A surface parts for demanding applications, and they need excellence and reproducibility," explains Chomarat’s Prepreg Market Manager Ulrike Salmon.

C-PLY™: GOING FURTHER WITH CARBON MULTIAXIALS
The advantages of multi-axial reinforcements are now well established - oriented axes, absence of resin-rich areas allowing a high fibre content, and improved mechanical tensile and/or bending performance thanks to the non-crimp fibres.
By developing its C-PLY™ range, Chomarat further demonstrates that multiaxials are a real asset in terms of performance and appearance. "Chomarat strives to minimize marking on parts and to optimize surface quality through fibre spreading and the use of suitable stitches. C-PLY™ can also integrate aesthetic functions by using the assembly seam as a graphic design", continues Ulrike Salmon.
These new advantages are important for the automotive, sports-equipment and consumer-electronics markets, which seek to combine premium quality and productivity.